GPS files for the 2011 Anchor House Ride for Runaways

For the last several years, the Anchor House Ride daily routes have been available for upload to Garmin cycling computers. As more of our riders use these devices each year, the interest in using the route files has grown as well.

Garmin route files (as well as daily elevations) for the 2011 Anchor House Ride can be found on RideWithGPS for the first time (rather than MapMyRide which still hosts the 2009 and 2010 ride files). RideWithGPS has improved tremendously in the last year or so and is the route creation website I find myself using most often. I encourage everyone to set up a free account and try it out. Cullen King (the sites owner) has created a great resource for the cycling community and it just keeps getting better and better.

The link to my RWGPS page where the 2011 AH route files are located is: http://ridewithgps.com/users/10598/routes#. You have to have a free account to RideWithGPS in order to download the route files, so create an account first.

Garmin 205 and 305 owners should download the files in .tcx format and import them one by one into Garmin Training Center (thats the free software you got with your unit - available for download here). Once they are in GTC, you can export them to your device per the instructions in your user manual (available here).

Garmin 605 and 705 users should download the files in the .gpx format and follow the instructions on the RWGPS website available here on the RWGPS FAQ page under "Using a Garmin Edge 705". Another resource is Frank Kinlan's blog post here.

Garmin Edge 500 and 800 owners should read the following and follow the instructions to the letter as these devices are a little more problematic when navigating a previously designed course! You can find the instructions on how to use the route files here. I would also suggest you read Frank Kinlan's blog posts on the Edge 800 for useful tips and advice. I found the instructions essential when I tried to enable turn by turn navigation on my 800 during the 2011 Cory's Ride. The Garmin user manual is of no help whatsoever, so thanks Frank for doing the research on how to use these devices. 500 owners; the same directions apply to you - only thing different is that you have no map showing on your screen.

Here is an informative video on YouTube showing the route creation and uploading procedure on RideWithGPS. Although a 705 is used in the demonstration the information is applicable to all Garmin units.

Disclaimer: although every effort is made to ensure that these route files completely match the cuesheet instructions, the only "official" route directions for the Anchor House Ride For Runaways are the cuesheets supplied in your ride packets. Cuesheets you may develop based on these route files may or may not be completely accurate, and may be more confusing than helpful. Our official cuesheets are written from the perspective of the rider on the route, not from mapping information on a database. Street names, intersection shapes, etc. may appear different on the map than in the real world which makes any cuesheet generated solely on map data potentially flawed. Carry, read and follow the cuesheets!!! Use your Garmin as your secondary navigation source.